Smithsonian Institution
Civil War
Did you know that more than three million people fought in the Civil War? Through artifacts, graphics, and passages class members learn about the stark divide between North and South that led to the war, as well as about the events that...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Convict Leasing in Alabama: a System That Re-Enslaved Blacks After the Civil War
The post-Civil War convict leasing program, rarely covered in textbooks, is the focus of a lesson that asks class members to use information drawn from primary source documents to assess the program. While the focus is on Alabama's...
Curated OER
Personal Accounts of the Korean Civil War 1950-1953
Ninth graders evaluate primary source documents from the Korean Civil War to compare and contrast them to different countries. They identify the boundaries of the Korean Civil War and work in groups to investigate the story of a Korean...
Curated OER
The Price of War
Fifth graders, in groups, research major battles fought during the Civil War and complete an activity sheet. They choose one particular battle and create a timeline and graph using the statistics researched.
Curated OER
Child Labor in Maryland: An Historical Investigation
Tenth graders, after reading two excerpts about contemporary child labor situations, discuss two broad questions in detail along with the industrial boom following the Civil War conditions in the United States. They investigate how the...
Curated OER
Constitutional Issues: Civil Liberties During War
Students discuss democratic ideals and constitutional principles. They decide which side of the issue they are on dealing with the placement of Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. They examine primary source documents for...
Curated OER
To Move or Not to Move? Decision Making and Sacrifice
Students examine the motivations that prompted people to move westward during the 19th century. They take on the role of an average citizen and weigh the costs and benefits of making such a move and decide if they would have participated...
K12 Reader
Churchill's Speech: We Shall Fight on the Beaches
Winston Churchill speech delivered to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940, is the focus of a comprehension exercise that asks readers to explain how the repetition in the speech supports the main purpose of Churchill's address.
Curated OER
Graveyard Investigation
Fifth graders visit a cemetery and copy the headstones of soldiers killed during the Civil War. They role-play as soldiers aand write letters about their war experiences.
Curated OER
Philanthropy in Michigan? Civil War Lesson 3: Why Should I Do Philanthropy?
Learners investigate the personal benefits a person can attain from performing philanthropic acts. They think about opposing viewpoints regarding choices, decision-making and consequences. They interview a person regarding their...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln: Preserving the Union (2 Parts)
Students examine the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. They explore the trials and tribulations of the Civil War, and the problem of slavery that destroyed the Union. They also explore the man behind the image of the 16th president.
Curated OER
Making Sense of the Census
Students problem solve the mean and median of agricultural data by completing a worksheet. They discuss the results of the statistical data.
Curated OER
The Fact Finders
Students analyze agricultural data and make predictions about events in history. In this history lesson plan, students correlate the relationship between historic events and issues in agriculture to see if there is a correlation. They...
Curated OER
Buffalo's Economy During the Great Depression
Students compile and interpret data to present graphical representations of Buffalo's economy during the Great Depression. They calculate the unemployment and inflation rates, create a spreadsheet, and create a poster.
Curated OER
Makiing Sense of the Census
Students investigate trends in agriculture. In this secondary mathematics lesson plan, students evaluate agricultural census data from 1982 to 2202 as they compare the properties of the mean and the median. Students explore what sorts...
Curated OER
Images from South Carolina Cotton Mills
Fifth graders write a paragraph comparing their lives to the lives of a child working in South Carolina during the early 1900's. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, 5th graders explore primary and secondary sources to teach them...